Nearly eight years ago MGM Grand Detroit opened a club that wasn't quite like anything else the city had to offer. V Nightclub was swanky and intimate, with an amazing sound system and a stylish setup. Nearly a decade later, the club remains a fixture in the city's nightlife scene. In fact, one might argue it becomes more popular every year. Maybe it's the acts they're able to attract — not every 350-person venue can book Flo Rida — or perhaps it's the attention they pay to their customer service. Whatever it is, they're doing something right.
"Our main goal is to give the guests a great experience," says Awsem Zbair, MGM Grand Detroit's nightlife and entertainment manager. "We want to help them step out of their normal, daily grind and give them that Vegas experience right here in Detroit."
That Vegas experience includes a beautiful cast of go-go dancers, music from resident DJs Captn20 and DJ Whip, and luxe VIP accommodations. The staff also pays close attention to what keeps guests happy.
"We look at it from the consumer's perspective. We ask ourselves how we can bring what's hip and cool to Detroit and to the space," Zbair says.
By booking coveted DJs and other musical acts, the folks behind V Nightclub do just that. They've hosted acts like Brody Jenner, Kristian Nairn from Game of Thrones, and Nervo — among many others — and continue to elevate the level of talent they bring to the club.
According to Zbair, improvements are always being made to the club, whether they're booking better acts or simply upgrading the space.
"We're continuing to raise the bar in production," Zbair says. "We always want to be better than last week or last month. We're always looking to develop the property as a whole."
Step into V Nightclub on a Friday and Saturday night and you'd be surprised that the space needs any improvements. It's as highfalutin as it was when it opened nearly a decade ago, and the clientele reflects that. You won't find a lot of folks outfitted like they're headed to their neighborhood dive bar. Sure, that's partially because there's a dress code, but it's also because V is the sort of place one wants to get all gussied up for. Maybe it's the music, maybe it's those sexy dancers gyrating on high, maybe it's the posh atmosphere.
"We find a lot of people come here to celebrate a bachelorette party or a birthday," says Zbair. "They're here to celebrate something that doesn't happen every day."
